Alabama

Opelika High School football player and Auburn signee Jakell Mitchell puts on his Auburn hat Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2014, during a National Signing Day ceremony in Opelika, Ala. (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

Mitchell, who was forced to miss his senior season at Opelika after tearing the ACL in his right knee during 7-on-7 over the summer, has been rehabbing hard, trying to get his knee back to 100 percent as soon as possible.

Once that knee heals, Mitchell, who signed with Auburn last Wednesday, has bigger plans in mind.

"I want to do something nobody's ever done before," Mitchell said. "I mean, just to come back from a surgery like an ACL surgery, not be fearful of my leg, and play as a true freshman."

The last time Mitchell went through a full football season, the big tight end was really more of a Swiss Army knife for Opelika coach Brian Blackmon during the Bulldogs' run to the 2012 state title game.

Used all over the field, Mitchell caught 28 passes for 403 yards, rushed for 392 yards and 17 touchdowns, tossed a touchdown pass and played some defensive end, and he was expected to take on even more touches in Opelika's offense as a senior before his knee injury cost him the season.

Auburn has a more concrete plan for Mitchell in the Tigers' hurry-up, no-huddle offense.

"He’s going to play our '3' back," Auburn coach Gus Malzahn said on Signing Day. "He can block, he can catch, he’s got a little bit of running back skills. He played a bit of wildcat when he was a junior and then hurt his knee. We feel the sky is the limit for this guy."

Auburn has an opening at that spot, the H-back role filled brilliantly by NFL prospect Jay Prosch last season. In Malzahn's offense, the "3" has been everything from a battering-ram lead blocker to a key target in the passing game.

Mitchell is ticketed to do some of both.

"They plan on using me, kind of like what they did with Jay Prosch, but a couple more routes here and there, a couple more passes," Mitchell said.

Beyond the rehabilitation of his knee, which should be complete by the time Mitchell takes the practice field for Auburn, the Opelika product's focus is on putting weight on a 220-pound frame that has to get bigger if he's going to play right away.

Mitchell is built long and lanky, with room to put on weight, but he knows he has to get into the 230 to 240-pound range before he can earn a chance to make an impact on Auburn's lineup right away.

With C.J. Uzomah, Brandon Fulse and a returning Ricky Parks in the fold, Auburn tight ends and H-backs coach Scott Fountain could use a combination of those three players, along with Prosch's returning backup, walk-on Gage Batten, to replace his key senior.

Opelika's Jakell Mitchell (9) fights for yardage in the 2012 6A state championship game against Hoover last December. (Julie Bennett/jbennett@al.com)

"We do have Brandon Fulseand C.J. Uzomah, and you know, we'll work with those guys and see who can do what," Fountain said. "But that position's a unique deal."

Mitchell sees an opportunity in an Auburn offense that lost only three players out of its starting lineup.

Under Malzahn, Auburn fills its holes by holding open competitions.

And Mitchell plans to be ready.

"They're actually looking for me to come in and get the job done," Mitchell said. "That's another thing that's up to me."